HPCwire: Purdue University Opens HPC Lab

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August 14, 2008

Purdue University Opens HPC Lab

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind., Aug. 14 -- Purdue University has opened a research and learning laboratory for students in the College of Technology's growing specialization in high-performance computing.

The high-performance computing laboratory in Knoy Hall, which opened this month, contains space for a wide variety of computer hardware, an adjoining space for student collaboration and projects, and a classroom area across the hall.

"High-performance computing is becoming more common in industry, and there is a huge demand for graduates who understand these systems," said Thomas Hacker, an assistant professor in the Department of Computer and Information Technology. "This new lab gives our expanding specialization -- one of the few in the nation -- room to grow."

The Department of Computer and Information Technology began offering new courses in the signature area of high-performance computing and cyberinfrastructure in the spring semester of 2008. The area focuses on teaching students how to build computer clusters, how storage systems work and how to benchmark systems.

Hacker said one of the main problems with housing such equipment is finding a room that can adequately cool the machines. Previously, these cluster machines were kept in rooms in Knoy Hall and the Math Building, but with the growth in both the popularity of the program and the number of computers, more space and improved temperature control was needed.

High-performance computers are essentially standard computers linked together in a way that harnesses all the computers' power to solve complex problems, such as weather modeling or automobile design.

"These systems are very powerful, and more power equals more heat," he said. "If the room they are in isn't kept sufficiently cool (around 68 degrees Fahrenheit), equipment can fail. In the high-performance computing world, cooling is a constant challenge."

To help keep the temperature down, the new lab is equipped with a 20-ton air conditioner, which is about 13 times more powerful than a typical home air conditioner, four chilled water pipes and several other water pipes that can be connected if the need arises. The air-conditioning unit also contains an Ethernet port that enables monitoring and control of the room's cooling system via the Internet.

And since the machines take a significant amount of power, additional electricity was needed for the lab. Four breaker boxes, each containing 200 amps of electricity, were installed in the room. In comparison, a typical single-family home is capable of handling 100-200 amps of electricity.

Hacker said the cost for the laboratory was about $400,000, which includes the purchase of the air conditioner, upgrades to utilities, televisions, monitors, projectors, furniture and improved lighting.

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